In the script of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the initial character descriptions are illustrative and create mostly accurate descriptions. Charlie, with his name in bold, is described as "innocent, hopeful, awkward, and likable to everyone but his classmates." This creates an immediate suggestion of a protagonist and antagonist -- charlie versus his classmates. Charlie, based on this description, is a character the audience can sympathize with.
Later, we are introduced to Charlie's sister, Candace. She is described as a "beautiful type A, straight A priss." Instantly, the audience can sense a sibling rivalry. Based on their initial descriptions, it seems like Charlie and Candace have a typical sibling relationship, with one feeling inferior to the other. We have seen Charlie struggling throughout the entire script, before we even meet Candace. He mentions being hospitalized, yet the biggest struggle we see from Candance in her first scene is the burden of her brother being at the same school.
She dismissing him by saying "seniors only" when he looks for a place to sit in the cafeteria, which further supports her superiority complex and makes Charlie seem even smaller and more vulnerable to the audience. The audience sympathizes with Charlie because, not only does he not have any friends at school, he doesn't even have the support of his family in this context.
However, I didn't find Patrick's initial characterization to be as fitting as the other characters'. He is initially described as being "full of confidence, mischief, and so over high school. He is the class clown, performing a perfect imitation of the teacher, Mr. Callahan." From this, I interpreted that Patrick was just another bully, taking it to an even higher level by mocking the teacher rather than the students. However, through Charlie's dialogue, we later learn that Patrick is actually an admirable character. He is a friend to Charlie, making him feel like he belongs at school.
These initial characterizations offer a unique perspective that can only come from reading the script. When watching the film, audiences have to rely on context clues and never get to consider the characterizations that the writers actually intended. This can be both positive and negative, as on-screen characters are more open to interpretation and can be relatable to a wider audience. However, the writer's vision sometimes gets lost in these interpretations. The descriptions offer a deeper understanding of characters by categorizing them before they even speak.
